A Compilation of Dread: Viva la Vida
by Mitsuko The Dark Angel
Summary: Set to the song by Coldplay, this is the *planned* ending to a story I am working on. A demon finds that all his work towards revenge was in vain.


This is actually a test to see how many people would reply to the actual storyline if I were to post this. (Although it is unlikely because my mom and sister are discouraging me from writing about Avatar.) The story would have been titled: _A Compilation of Dread: The Demon, the Detective, and The Bloodbender_

This is a scene from the climax, leading to the falling action.

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><p><strong>The Demon<strong>

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><p><em>I used to rule the world. Seas would rise when I gave the word.<em>

_Now in the morning I sleep alone. Sweep the streets I used to own._

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><p><em>SPLASH!<em> The muscles in my body tensed. My breath hitched, a small squeak made by the sudden intake of air. My ears twitched as I strained to hear if anyone had followed me. In the distance, I could hear the faint steps of the Dai Lee searching for me. I released a sigh, despite myself. To recap today's events: I broke my promise to Katara, the Demon transformation is now complete, and I have the entire city after me. Things don't seem to be going in my favor, don't they? The only good thing about this horrid day, though, is the death of the Detective. … Even in death, though, she is still victorious. I do not have much time before they find me. By now, someone is climbing the extensive flight of stairs that leads to the bell tower. Hundreds of people are inside this very building. (I believe that there is some sort of a concert going on at this moment due to the harmony of a soprano and a tenor that I am able to hear.) _"Doesn't this remind you of something?"_ It does… There was a poem that Mother used to tell me. It told of the fall of a great demon. (How ironic...)

_I hear the Ba Sing Se bells a-ringing._ There it is. That sound. That beautifully painful sound. I gasped when the vibrations reached my sensitive eardrums. They were signaling the entire city of my presence. From my position in the balcony, I could just barely see what was going on outside. Orange. A fiery color; they were lighting their torches and heading towards the tower. Soon, I would be surrounded on all sides; although, being a firebender, their flames would not scare me one bit, the very thought of what they would do to me though… _"…frightens you to no end. I already know."_

_Human cavalry choirs are singing._ As I recited that in my head, the voice melded with the bells in harmony. The bells accented the parts where her voice lacked, making the effect even stronger. _"I hear them. They are coming closer."_

_Be my mirror, my sword, my shield._ I was reminded of my accomplices, Aang and the bounty hunters. By now They have likely figured out that they were working with me the entire time and were now infiltrating our base. My body was encased in a pure white exoskeleton—I was no longer considered human, but that did not mean that I could no longer feel sorrow. _"Crying about it won't do you any good, now will it?"_ He was right; my then-hand (now claw) wiped a tear that began to form in my eye. I could imagine Katara just sitting there in her room, brushing her beautiful, brown hair. Her gaze would be towards the moon, its light reflecting off of her blue eyes. She is awaiting my return, I am sure, and her thoughts could also be on the kiss we had shared before my departure. My hand unconsciously went up to my lips, blood rushing into my hollow cheeks. The scene shifted dramatically. I imagined the Dai Lee infiltrating the house, the wooden door being thrown off its hinges, then... I could not even bear the thought. It was clear to me that our crimes were worthy of the highest punishment. I will bear the burden of what shall happen to them all.

_My missionaries in a foreign field._ Katara, Sokka, and Uncle Iroh. They were my closest companions. Uncle Iroh, though not related by blood, seemed to fill in part of the gap that had been left by Mother. I shall miss him dearly. _"Sokka..."_ We were not at the best of terms when all this began, but somewhere along the way he grew as a brother to me. _"Katara..."_ Since we met, I believe that there was something there between us. We both had grown up fatherless (something shared with many among the bounty hunters) and had a single sibling. However, we both had a certain ability that was considered "demonic." Hers, the ability to overpower the will of a person by "bending" their blood, and mines, to control the body heat of a person. Then there was Toph. The blind girl was never truly a friend to me (I am not sure what she thought of our relationship), but in the end, she lost her life for the sake that I would live. For being the heiress of a prestigious family, her choice to follow me affected the opinions of thousands of people. (The detective, it seemed, was a different kind of person.) For that moment, I truly wished to hear one of her famous sarcastic remarks. _"Are you sure you're not just hoping she'll jump in front of you like the last time?"_

I heard the loud footsteps of what seemed to be a stampede. A kick, and they were upon me. "Demon!" They called harshly. I stumbled backwards. _"Trying to find another dark corner, aren't you?"_ He was right. All I had been doing up until now was running and hiding. Although… It was much easier then than now. I was trapped without an escape.

_For some reason I can't explain._ My hands pushed on the floor in order to push me more into the wall. If only I could disappear at this very moment. To be anywhere but here. To be truly honest, I feel no regret for what happened to the Detective. That was actually the best part of my day (despite ultimately breaking my promise to Katara.)

"He has got to be in here, keep looking!" That voice… That oh-too-familiar monotone speech used only by the melancholic Detective. I watched the silhouettes of the secret police as the passed in front of me, unknowing of my position. I was able to make out a female within them, but it couldn't possibly be… It is impossible that she… Even so, I made sure that… But what if she somehow… _"Stop being so paranoid. You are giving me a headache. You and I both know that there is no possible way that she could have survived. …right?"_ My eyes were fixed on the woman.

"Zuzu?" she called. I gasped loudly. Other than Aang and the assassins, the only person who knew my true identity was her. No! It couldn't be!

"You're supposed to be dead!" I screamed. My claws reached towards the nearest projectile, firmly grasping them: a broken wooden beam. I laughed. She became aware of my presence. Her metallic gold eyes were paralyzed on my form. I could see the true fear in her eyes. My grip tightened on the beam. This was to end once and for all, but before I could throw it…

_Once you're gone there is never, never an honest word._ I was stopped. Stopped by some unknown force. I couldn't move, no longer had I control over my body. The Detective turned to look behind her and I saw it. A girl had broken free from the grasp of two Dai Lee agents, immediately performing a bending technique. The Detective turned towards her and nodded in approval. "K-Katara?" I choked, my restrained body making speaking difficult.

She said nothing but glared at me with piercing eyes. Her eyes, which were normally cool and calming like the sea, were now sharp and cold like ice. They said only one word, "Liar." It seemed to pierce right through my heart. I lied to her. I lied to Katara. I am a liar. Everyone hates me. Detective Kurai has won. I have no one. Mother is dead. Azula has run away. Katara hates me.

Why did Mother have to die? Why isn't she here to tell me "everything is going to be alright"? Why isn't she stroking her fingers through my hair, soothing me with her sweet voice? "Don't worry, it was only a dream." Wh- why isn't she here? Where is she? I can't hear her voice! What if she's calling my name? Where am I? Am I dreaming? I want to wake up! Why can't this nightmare end? I… I need my mother!

"Mother!" I called. It was purely a force of habit. Whenever I had a nightmare I would call her name before waking up. Her name was what would save me. I would not wake up. "Mother!" I screamed again expecting a different result. My voice cracked, tears began to blur my vision. _"This isn't a dream,"_ my subconscious told me. I don't believe him. He is a reflection of myself, making him a liar.

I wasn't going to live this life. I am going to disappear from this world. _"You're not going to do what I think you're going to do?"_ I ignored him. There was nothing to live for anymore. I had nothing. I had no one. I was alone in a world that wanted me dead. I wasted my life searching for a revenge that I will never receive. The best thing to do was to start my life all over again. From that moment, I was no more. My self had disappeared into the deep recesses of my subconscious, never to return again.

I became as a newborn babe into the world, and as all newborn children do when they breathe their first breath, I cried.

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><p><em>But that was when I ruled the world.<em>


End file.
